Rotating and braking mechanism for turrets, &amp;c.



No. 630,228. Patented Aug. l, I899.

J. HORNE.

ROTATING AND BRAKING MECHANISM FOR TURRETS, 81.6. (Application filed May20, 1899.) (No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES HORNE, OF BARROlV-IN-FURNESS, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE VICKERS,SONS 8: MAXIM, LIMITED, OF SHEFFIELD, ENGLAND.

ROTATiNG AND BRAKING MECHANISM FOR TURRETS, 800.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 630,228, dated August1, 1899.

Application filed May 20, 1899. Serial No. 717,605. No model.)

To all whom it vim/y concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES HORNE, engineer, a citizen of England,residingat Vickers, Sons & Maxim, Limited, \Vorks, Barrow-in- Furness, in thecounty of Lancaster, England, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in the Rotating and Braking Mechanism of Heavy T urn-Tablesor Turrets, (for which application for a patent has been [0 made inGreat Britain, dated October 18, 1898, No. 21,940,) of which thefollowingis a specification.

This invention relates to rotating and braking mechanism of heavyturn-tables or turrets which is arranged in such a manner that therotating mechanism can be worked either by hand or by hydraulic enginesand that when required it can operate as a brake, as will be describedwith reference to the accom panying drawing, which is a vertical sectionof the gear on the vertical shaft, having on its upper end a pinion forrotating the turntable or turret in the known manner. On this shaft athere is fitted free to revolve 2 5 a toothed wheel I), which can beclutched to the shaft a by means of a clutch c, worked by a lever d,screw, and hand-wheel 6. There is also fitted free on the shaft a aworm-wheel f, having a hollow boss, in which are a numher offriction-plates g. All the odd plates are notched internally to slidealong keys on the shaft a, and all the even plates are notchedexternally to slide along keys within the boss of the wheel f. Theplates are pressed into 3 5 close contact by a spring h. A worm is gearswith the worn1-wheel f, the pitch being such that the wheel cannot drivethe worm. The lower end of the shaft a has on it a sleeve Z, containingthe spring h, the lower end of which bears on a collar m, screwed on theshaft and secured by a lock-nut n. Below the nut n the shaft to has areduced part 19, which extends into a cavityin the lower part of acasing q, this cavity communicating by a pipe *1 with a valve connectedto the cylinders of the hydraulic engine, which by suitable gear worksthe toothed wheel 1). The worm is is on a shaft worked by any suitablehand-gear.

The lower part of the shaft a is bored upward to a point abovecup-leathers s, where there is a cross-bore, so that liquid underpressure supplied by the pipe 0" can act as in a hydraulic press,pushing down the sleeve l and the springs h, and so relieving thefrictional pressure of the plates g.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: Then the shaft (L isworked by the hydraulic engine driving the wheel I), then that wheel isclutched to the shaft to, and the hy- 6o draulic pressure which worksthe engine being communicated through the pipe '1 causes release of thefriction-plates g, so that they do not tend to drive the worm-wheel f.lVhen the shaft a is worked by hand-gear driving the worm 713, then thewheel Z) is unclutched, and there being no pressure communicated throughthe pipe r the friction-plates are pressed into close contact by thespring it, so that they clutch the worm-wheel f to the shaft a. As thewheel f is held stationary by the worm 70 when that worm is stationary,the friction-plates g operate as a brake, preventing the shaft to fromrevolving, and consequently holding stationary the turret or turntable,which is geared to the shaft a. As this gearing, as well as thehydraulic engine and its gearing to the wheel I), and the hand-gear forworking the worm 7c are all of ordinary known construction andarrangement, I have not shown them in the drawing and I make no claim inrespect of them; but,

Having described the nature of this invention and the best means I knowof carrying the same into practical effect, I claim In combination withthe vertical shaft employed for rotating a turn-table or turret, a wheeladapted to be worked by a hydraulic engine, and means of clutching it tothe shaft,

a worm-wheel gearing with a worm adapted 0 to be worked by hand-gear, aset of frictionplates and a spring adapted to clutch the worm-wheel tothe shaft, and a cavity around the shaft connected by a pipe to thesupplyvalve of the hydraulic engine, substantially 5 as and for thepurpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

JAMES HORNE.

\Vitnesses:

F. T. HANDY, WM. BEnEsronn.

